NSCS: Martin grabs 53rd career pole

April 27, 2012No Comments

Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images for NASCAR

Mark Martin was the fastest driver in the first practice on Friday and as a result was rewarded with being the last driver to be able to qualify for Saturday’s Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

Despite holding the top spot in qualifying throughout much of the second half, Carl Edwards lap time of 21.046 seconds/128.290 mph, Martin was able to best that lap as the last driver to qualify for Saturday’s race.

Martin qualified with a lap of 21.04 seconds/128.327 mph, the best of any of the 45 drivers that attempted to make the race. For Martin, this is his second pole of the season, the last coming at Phoenix. It is his 53rd career pole.

This is the fifth time that Martin has sat on the pole at Richmond International Speedway, his first came in 1981 and the last time before this he sat on the pole at Richmond in 2009. Martin has one career win at Richmond in 1990.

“[We had a] good lap, didn’t think we could get the pole,” Martin said after his lap to Speed reporters. “I just love driving for this team, they believe in me.”

This is the second consecutive pole for a Michael Waltrip Aaron’s Toyota at Richmond. David Reutimann sat on pole for the fall event last year while driving for MWR.

Starting in third will be Kevin Harvick in the Richard Childress Racing No. 29 Chevrolet. Last week’s pole sitter, A.J. Allmendinger, will start fourth in his Penske Racing No. 22 Dodge.

That means that all four car manufacturers are represented in the first two rows for Saturday’s race.

Defending Capital City 400 race winner, Kyle Busch, will start in fifth for the race.